For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16

Have you ever really pondered this scripture in all of its wonder? What is the motive of giving? What is the gift? What is the value placed upon the gift, the giver or the giftee? I have read and heard this scripture all of my life. Yet every time I ponder it I grasp new depths and find new joys. Nothing else in scripture is quite so everlastingly beautiful as this verse. The first thing I see is that God loves the world. The word translated world is the Greek word, kosmos. Kosmos means orderly arrangement, i.e. decoration; by implication the world, in a wide or narrow sense, including its inhabitants, literally or figuratively. God loves the world. Not just the good people in the world. Not just the “righteous” ones. God loves the world, the whole world. God loves that which He created. The base word that kosmos comes from is komeo, which means to tend, to care for, properly to provide for, and by implication to carry off as if from harm. In other words, kosmos comes from a root word implying nurturing, caring love or concern for this world, that the Father created.

How is it that we act as though God hates the world? How is it that we despise those that God loves? Ponder with me this thought. God loves the world. God loves the world and everyone and everything in it. God loves the world. Just pause for a few seconds and think about that statement.

Ok, now that you have pondered that let us take it a little further. God loves your next door neighbor, the one that leaves the back porch light on all night and whose dogs keep waking you up at all hours of the night. God loves that scrubby looking fellow you saw walking down the alley digging through the garbage cans. God loves that whore on the street corner. God loves the alien that is working under the table illegally so that he can earn some money to send home to his family. God loves the mother and child abandoned by their husband and father. God loves the bread earner that has abandoned his wife and children. God loves the heroin addict. God loves the thief, even the thief dying on a cross. God loves that man on death row, even if that man is truly guilty. God loves the black or white or brown or olive skinned man that you think is strange. God loves the oriental person that you can hardly understand. God loves the pompous and the arrogant. God loves the self-righteous. God loves you. God loves all the children of the world, young or old. You see God loves humanity. God loves everything about humanity.

God hates sin. He loves men. God loves the sinner. God hates the sin and the power that sin has over the lives of men. God loves each and every human being that has ever been born. God loves them so much that we come to the second important point I see in John 3:16. God sent His son to the world that He loves. God himself became a man and gave up His rightful place in Heaven to provide a way out for the world that He loves. Love motivates the Father-God. Not hate. God is love. Eternal and pure without a measure of turning. The Father’s soul is drawn out in His love for the world. He left Heaven. Came as a baby and bore the love of the Father to the world.

Sin separates man from God and God hates being separated from the ones He loves. So the Father decided to do something about sin. He sent His only begotten son. He sent the baby Jesus who grew to be a man and upon whom He poured out His Spirit without measure. He sent His son to preach a message to the poor. He sent His son to bind up and heal broken hearts, to set men, held captive in sin, free. He brought release to men from darkness and brought them back to fellowship with the Father. He came to proclaim liberty and the acceptable year of the Lord. Jesus showed God’s love to us by bearing our sorrows and griefs, by healing our diseases and most importantly showing us the way to the Father, who loves us. Jesus did not come into the world to condemn the world but to save the world.

Now we reach the third point of John 3:16. Whosoever believes in the Son shall have everlasting life. Life without end. The search of men for the fountain of life has been ended. Jesus is the source and fountain of life. He gives living water to every one that believes in Him and grants them the power to become the sons of God. The sons of God will live forever. A gift of eternal life is available to all that will believe. How much does it cost to believe? It costs you your life. Only by giving up all hope of “living” on your own do you find eternal life in the son. This life is not your own but is His life.

The point of this discourse is to show what giving is and what a gift should be. We are approaching a season where people spend their lives trying to give and outgive each other. There are numerous cultural attitudes about giving and receiving based upon a kind of point system. He gives to you so you give back and then the first person is obligated to make sure that he has given a comparable gift or will feel he or she must give more.

I want to evaluate what it really means to give. The truest motive for giving is Love. Not love of giving for the sake of giving, or giving in order to receive. Rather the highest motive for giving is love for the recipient of the gift. That is what the greatest gift ever given to anyone is all about. Love. All of my life I have known about God’s love. I have heard about it, experienced it and at times truly felt loved by God. Yet when I think about the statement, “God so loved the world”, I find that I am full of questions. Until recently, if you had asked me to describe myself I would have described myself as “Linda” whom no one loves. Except God. Of course God loves me. Yet there has always been a part of me that was really sure that no one really loves me. I visited a web site and read a statement that went like this: “Home is the place that when you go there, they have to take you in.” I have no such place on earth. When I went to see the latest Star Trek movie and saw the planet where children were running and playing and people were making bread in an open air bakery, there was a garden and gardeners, someone kicked a lever and water flowed to water the garden, and my first reaction was “Home”. I saw a place that looked like home to me.

When I was very ill in 1989 and 1990 I decided to relocate from Oregon back to Texas where my parents lived at the time. Even though my father called me and made it clear that I was unwelcome and unwanted I still went back to Texas. I desperately wanted to go home. I was much sicker than most people knew and I needed someone to help me. I found no help and no home but God took care of me. I have learned throughout my life that there is no place for me. I have struggled most of my life trying to find that place called home. That place where I would always be taken in and always welcome. I never found it. When I read the article at that wonderful website about home, God did a major surgery on my soul. I found myself wailing and crying like a lost little child with no one to comfort me. I discovered that I had grown so used to the pain that I hardly recognized it as pain until that night when the Lord slit open the scar tissue over this wound and exposed the deepest wound of my heart. The pain was so intense and so unexpected that I became intensely and physically ill.

I fell before the Lord crying out that I could not bear this pain, it was too much for me and He removed and sealed up that place in my heart. The next day I received some of the most encouraging emails from Christian friends that I have ever known. God planted in me a sure knowledge that He has given my heart a home. Love bore that pain in my heart away for me and gave me a peace I did not even know I needed. The homelessness of my heart is filled. A gift from my Father in Heaven born out of His love.

1 Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.

2 And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;

3 Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.

4 And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.

5 And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.

6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.

8 And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.

9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God:

10 And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him. Acts 3:1-10

Peter and John went to pray. They met a lame man on the way. He held out his palms and he asked for alms and this is what Peter did say. Silver and gold have I none but such as I have give I thee. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk. What a marvelous story and testimony. The giver did not have what the lame man asked for. He had another gift. A gift that came from the power of God, strength to walk. Enough power to not only walk but to leap! These days when people give they seem to be more concerned about what they will get for their gift than what the gift will do for the recipient. People give money so that they can take a tax deduction or create publicity and further their business or personal goals. They like to be recognized as philanthropists. Yet Peter and John did not receive any praise or reward. God received praise and glory. In fact Peter and John were sternly warned not to continue to preach in Jesus’ name. Yet they continued on.

Peter gave what he had to meet the man’s needs. When we give we ought to be sure that what we are giving will result in praise to God and will meet the needs of the person we are giving to. Too often we give just what we have to give in order to spare our conscience. Many are counting on their “faithful” tithes and offerings to bring them success and an increase in material things. It never seems to occur to most people to ask the Spirit to direct their giving to where it is NEEDED. Now do not misunderstand, I am not referring to your examining a ministry or a person to determine if they genuinely need your gifts or help. I am saying we should ask the Holy Spirit to tell us what He needs us to do with our gifts. Where does He want our gifts to go? And what gifts do we have to give and do we freely and without grumbling give the best we have?

There are many that have no money but they have other gifts to give. They have prayers, words of wisdom or words of knowledge. They have teaching, healing or encouragement to give. Do you freely give these gifts to those that have need of them? Or are you withholding your gifts until they can be appreciated? Are you waiting for someone to ask for what you have to give? The lame man asked for alms, for money. That is what he thought he really needed. He had lain there for many years begging and making his living by doing so. Peter saw his real need and knew inside himself that he had the gift to meet that need. The gift was power from on high and Peter gave that power freely. Freely you have received. Freely give.

Just as important is the fact that when Peter reached out his hand and took the lame man’s hand, the man accepted Peter’s hand and received the gift. He stood with Peter’s help and his ankles and legs were made strong. Many are not giving their gifts but even more people are refusing to receive the gifts of the Lord. The night the Lord revealed this terrible pain and wounding in my heart, I discovered that this pain kept me from truly receiving the love of God and truly kept me from accepting that He did love me. No amount of reasoning ever removed that lost little child’s pain. I had tried to love this little child that no one else had loved but this did not heal the pain. Only God could remove that hurt and heal that pain and I had to accept His love in order for that to happen.

Many people will die and go to Hell because they will never allow God to love them. They will never accept this gift of Love in the person of His Son. Yet God, desiring for all to come to repentance and find Him, is patiently waiting to receive any who will just call on Him and take His gift. The people that call themselves Christians have yet to learn what God’s attitude towards the world really is. Many get caught up in doctrinal disputes and despise and reject each other. Many are like Martha, busy about so many things that they have never known what it means to sit at the feet of Jesus and just receive from Him. No matter how much you profess to love God and Jesus, unless you love your brother enough to die for him you are lying to yourself and to God. Love is the true mark of a Christian. Not how pious you are. Not how many gifts of the Spirit you have. Not how much you preach or teach or how much you give. The thirteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians teaches us these things. No matter what you do, no matter what you give if Love is not the primary force moving your actions and life, it is all worthless. The greatest of all gifts is Love.

There are some people in the “Christian” world that are spouting untruths, lies and heresies. There are doctrinal and denominational divisions amongst the churches. There is unforgiveness and bitterness amongst those that profess Jesus is Lord. There is always someone criticizing and pointing fingers at others. I have said it before, be careful what you say of other Christians. The Father loves them. I will often speak about the lies and heresies but I will never defame a person. God loves people. God loves them so much He died for them. So He alone is their judge. I speak out in Truth because Truth sets us free. Faith working itself out in love is our service to the Lord. How can we say we are His if we do not love the world the way He does?

I am learning to ask the Lord to give me His attitude towards everyone. The man that tried to murder me in 1997, I will show nothing but love towards him. The family that has always rejected and abandoned me, I will give them the Love the Lord has given me, even when they continue to reject and deny me. I will learn, even if it kills me, to love as the Father loves. By dying to myself I will learn to live in His Grace. Mercy triumphs over judgment. If this is not so, none of us will ever see the face of God. We will all burn eternally in hell because none of us can live up to the standards of the Almighty God. Just read the law and you will know that this is true. All the things we are guilty of are written in the book.

My friends, I started writing this article thinking I was about to write in order to refute the heresy of seed-faith giving and the prosperity message that has made so many complacent in their walk with the Lord. I have found that I am instead writing of what giving is all about. Giving is about Love. Love is about saving and preserving the object of ones love. Until love motivates our giving we will continue to be selfish. We will hoard our possessions and save up for the rainy day. We will guard our material possessions so that the thief will not steal when the truth is we should be giving it all away and following hard after Jesus. We will share a little with others but we will probably only give when someone asks from us.

28 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.

29 And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also.

30 Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.

31 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.

32 for if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.

33 And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.

34 And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.

35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:

38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. Luke 6:28-38

I am so weary of hearing verse 38 taken out of context and used to promote a gospel of covetousness. The heart of this message is to be like the Father who is kind to the unthankful and to the evil. The Father is merciful and gives, even though no one reciprocates. The Father does not judge but rather sent His son to bear the judgment that all who will receive the gift may have eternal life. Who are we to judge each other? Father-God cleanse us from our unforgiveness and help us to be the children of the Highest. Help us Holy Spirit to become givers, who will not withhold the gifts you have freely given us but will pour out these gifts upon others that the earth may be filled with praises to God.

You see, God has given us gifts, so that we may give to those that are hurting and needy so that their praise will rise up to the Father who will continue to gift us with His Holy Spirit that we may abound in good works and His praise will be magnified. There seem to be those that are looking forward to the “day “ of the Lord. The day of judgment is not a day for rejoicing but a day of darkness and fearful things. What craziness is it to anticipate such a day? Who of you is longing for the Lord to end the lives of the lost and dying world? Who are you to claim that you are a Christian when you are anticipating their judgment?

1 Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand;

2 A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations. Joel 2:1-2

18 Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light.

19 As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him.

20 Shall not the day of the LORD be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it? Amos 5:18-19

34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.

35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.

36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. Luke 21:34-36

Be careful what you desire. We are to watch for the return of the Lord, but warned against desiring the day of the Lord. Some people talk like they just can’t wait for the tribulation. They just are looking forward to seeing God pour out His judgment and they will be somehow strong and faithful to the end. I say that those that endure the Day of the Lord will cry out in terror and run and hide begging the mountains to fall on them for fear of the wrath of the Lord. It is foolishness to anticipate the end of the world as we know it as something to be sought after and brought about. Rather we should be about the business of bringing as many souls into the Kingdom as possible. We should be busy loving the sinners into the Kingdom rather than shutting up the way and withholding the gifts of the Lord. God’s people bear many wounds that go unhealed and remain hidden because they are taught to “confess” their way out of their problems rather than to expose the wounds and injuries in their soul.

No matter your particular brand of eschatology, it behooves us to be praying to be accounted worthy to escape this day of destruction and darkness and be able to stand before the Son of Man. Jesus is Lord.

Years ago I had the following dream:

I dreamed that the world was on fire and we were going to a place of safety, a place of refuge. I entered this place and there I met a man. I fell deeply in love with this man and followed him everywhere he went. I would not let him out of my sight. Then he began to teach us. I learned from him everything. He taught us many, many things but I don’t remember what he was teaching us in my dream. Then we began to don suits of fire-proof clothing and I asked what these suits were for. I was told that these suits would allow us to go outside in the raging fires to find and rescue people that were still out there. I had for so long just basked in the love and serenity of the place that I had forgotten that a fire was raging outside in the world consuming everything.

Suddenly I was remembering people that I loved that were still out there and I became frantic about them. The man that I loved told me not to worry that we would rescue them. We put on the suits and followed the man out and began to drag the people that we could find into the safe place. Some ran screaming from us when they saw us. Some were barely alive but welcomed us and we carried them in every day. The work was grueling and back-breaking and very, very wearying. There were so many crying out in pain and fear that I wondered how we would ever rescue them all but we valiantly struggled to save as many as we could.

We brought everyone in that we could find. Some hid and made it almost impossible to find them, some ran away, some seemed insane and refused to come with us but we continued to plead and beg them to come. I staggered under the burdens I carried but found strength every time I looked at the man I loved. The work went on. There were times He called us into the sanctuary and just told us to rest and drink and eat. We found refreshing strength and then we would don our suits and go back out into the raging fires and rescue the dying and screaming souls.

Once out in the fires I lost sight of the man and fear overwhelmed me and I cried out in anguish. I searched and could not find him then suddenly he was right beside me, encouraging and comforting me and my heart steadied and I wept for joy. Then he took me home to rest and I awoke.

I have not often thought about this dream but whenever I do remember it, the thing I remember most vividly is my love for the man who is my Savior. He rescued me and taught me everything I know and has never left me alone. The work is often hard in bringing in the sheaves but those that go forth with weeping, bearing precious seed will doubtless come again with rejoicing, bearing the sheaves with them.

Let us pray that the Lord of the Harvest will send more workers to bring in the wheat for the fields are ripe and the workers are few.

God bless you and keep you this holiday season and may His love consume you.
 

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